Despite Corona: MTV Video Music Awards will be presented live in New York

New York. The spotlight on the MTV Video Music Awards is set to shine even brighter this year: the awards gala on Monday night in New York (from 8:00 p.m. local time, 2:00 a.m. CEST) is the first major live spectacle with performances and awards in the USA since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Normally, the “VMAs” are seen more as a fun event at the end of the summer than one award gala among many, to which numerous stars do not even come because of other commitments. This year, however, the entertainment honor is a kind of test balloon – and not only fans but also stars and above all the organizers of other award galas will be watching very closely.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced at the end of June that the VMAs would take place in August in New York, surprising many. The metropolis on the east coast had become the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the USA in the spring. Strict restrictions were introduced in March, some of which were eased over the summer. At the moment, the infection rate in the metropolis seems to be largely under control at a low level, but hygiene, mask and distance rules still apply – and there is still great concern that the numbers will flare up again.

Event moved outdoors

The pandemic had just broken out at the end of the traditional awards season in the entertainment industry in the United States. Oscars, Grammys and Golden Globes could still take place. Since mid-March, however, almost everything had been postponed, canceled or moved to the Internet.

Exactly how the VMAs are to take place was not entirely clear beforehand. “All eyes will be on the event to see how the first live gala since the coronavirus shutdown unfolds,” wrote Entertainment Weekly. One thing is clear: “The gala will certainly be different than what we could have expected in previous years.”

It was initially planned to be held in a multi-purpose hall in the Brooklyn district – in compliance with hygiene rules and with a limited audience or no spectators at all. Then, after consultation with the health authorities, they were moved outside. The organizers said there will be several outdoor performances in different parts of New York either without a live audience or with only limited spectator numbers. Two new award categories are intended to celebrate productions created during the Corona pandemic – “Best Music Video From Home” and Best “Quarantine Performance”. In addition, medical staff should be honored for their work in the pandemic.

Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga are top favorites

But there are also tried and tested prizes that the US music broadcaster MTV has been awarding since 1984 – first and foremost the stars: Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande, BTS, The Weeknd, among others, should appear at the gala moderated by actress Keke Palmer , Maluma, DaBaby and the Black Eyed Peas.

Grande and Lady Gaga are going into the race for the awards with nine nominations each as top favorites. Billie Eilish and The Weeknd each have six chances to win. Fans can vote for their favorites online. The trophy is a “Moonman”, a small astronaut on the moon holding an MTV flag. In the past year, Grande and Eilish had already bagged moon men, as well as Taylor Swift, Lil Nas X and Missy Elliott, among others.

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